New 85K Chase Southwest credit cards’ welcome offer: It’s a scorcher
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“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 12:14 p.m. UTC June 28, 2024
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Some of the offers/benefits in this post have been updated or are no longer available. Please see the issuer site for current product information.
We’re on the cusp of the summer season, and the Chase family of Southwest credit cards are coming in hot, with new welcome offers that can help put the airline’s coveted Companion Pass in reach. Let’s take a look at the details.
Offer details
Starting June 4, 2024, three different Southwest credit cards have increased welcome offers. For all three, the offer is the same: Earn 85,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Here are the cards featuring the new offer:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card * The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which has an annual fee of $99.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card * The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which has an annual fee of $69.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card * The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which has an annual fee of $149.
The previous offer on these cards sat at just 50,000 points, so this represents a pretty significant increase.
Is it worth it?
If you’re interested in this offer, act fast. This limited-time offer flames out on June 26, 2024. Each of these cards charges a different annual fee and provides different benefits, including the ability to earn Rapid Rewards points on all your purchases. Other perks can include boosts towards earning a Companion Pass, bonus points on your card anniversary and an annual travel credit.
Want an in-depth analysis of the perks of a Southwest cobranded card? Read our Southwest credit cards benefits guide.
Note that if you already hold any personal Southwest credit card or have earned a welcome bonus on one of these cards in the last 24 months you won’t qualify for this offer. That’s a bummer, but for those who are eligible, this is a fantastic offer.
That’s because Southwest offers the Companion Pass, the most generous frequent flyer perk in the industry. Those who earn the Companion Pass are able to designate a person to fly for free (plus taxes and fees) with them whenever they travel on Southwest Airlines. This applies for both paid and award flights.
To earn a Companion Pass, you must complete 100 flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year.
However, the points earned from a Southwest credit card’s welcome offer qualify toward that 135,000-point threshold. This means that by opening a card and earning the bonus, you’ll already be at 95,000 points for the year (including the 10,000-point boost you get each year as a cardholder).
Those with a small business can do even better. The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card * The information for the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is currently offering 80,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and an additional 40,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases within nine months of account opening. The offer is available even if you have a personal card.
By opening both cards and completing the spending requirements, you’ll have earned enough points to get yourself a Companion Pass. Once earned, the Companion Pass is valid for the rest of the calendar year in which you’ve earned it, as well as the following calendar year.
That means that if you open both cards and earn the bonuses quickly, you could have yourself a Pass for nearly a year and a half.
There are workarounds to earning elite status with Southwest. Here’s how one flyer did it without paying for an airline ticket.
Final verdict
Three Southwest credit cards are offering increased welcome bonuses. Although the requirements for eligibility are strict, if you’re able to get a card now — do it. This is doubly true for those with small businesses. By combining welcome offers from the personal and business versions of these Southwest cards, you’ll easily be able to earn a Companion Pass, setting you and a loved one up for some adventures.
*The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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